The particle settling velocity is a fundamental requirement and key variable for modeling sedimentation processes and simulating particle transportations, especially when suspension is a main process. An experimental study has been conducted to measure the settling velocities of spherical particles with variable size and density as well as naturally occurring sands with non-uniform shape in Newtonian fluids and Power law fluids of variable viscosity and density. The experimental technique (laser based image processing) is unique in its kind and it is very efficient in measuring the size, shape, and settling velocity of the particles, simultaneously. Experiments on spherical particles are conducted using different sizes of glass spheres (0.5-2 mm) in four different concentrations of glycerol-water (10-40% by volume) mixtures and four different mixtures of CMC (0.14-0.29 wt%).
In addition, settling velocity of quartz sands particles under four sieve sizes in the range of 0.35mm-1.18mm have also been measured in Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid medium using PIS technique. Rheological studies of Glycerine, CMC and Carbopol solutions have been carried out and different empirical correlations to predict the drag and settling velocity of spheres in Newtonian and Non-Newtonian fluid have also been developed. Similar correlations have been developed for the natural sands to predict the settling velocity in different fluid mediums using different equivalent diameter. Comparing to the all published models, the new correlations are found to be more accurate in their predictive capabilities with smaller margin of error. The error in prediction of settling velocity by different developed correlations is coming in the range of 4.1%-15%.

Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.